Tarikh-i Salatin-i Afaghina 8.3
Táríkh-i Salátín-i Afághana of Ahmad Yádgár (extracts) 8.3
- Language
- English
8.3.1
Jalal Khan, who was in the province of Sirhind, also joined Ibrahim Khan, and made over to him all the money which had been collected from the parganas of that province. Mahmud Khan Pundak, Nizam Khan, and Alif Khan likewise allied themselves with him, so that he mustered about 3000 cavalry. He caused the khutba to be read and coin to be struck in his name, and raised the standard of rebellion. Whilst this was going on, 'Adil Shah had gone to the treasury of Chunar; but when he heard of the insurrection of Ibrahim Khan, he marched to Gwalior, and released Nasib Khan and Allah-dad Khan, whom he had imprisoned. He then treated them kindly, gave them rich purple dresses of honour, and 80,000 rupees for their expenses, and did his best to please them. At the time of their departure he presented them with an elephant, a girdle and a dagger, and sent them against Ibrahim. These two nobles proceeded in great state from Gwalior to Dehli, but they too joined Ibrahim Khan. When 'Adil Shah was informed of their joining the rebels, he lost heart, because these two men of name had sided with his foe.
8.3.2
At this period, the Raja of Andardun, seeing the disordered state of the King's affairs, revolted in Ujjain. 'Adil Shah reached Gwalior by uninterrupted marches; and when the Raja was informed of the King's coming, he left his nephew Tara Chand with a portion of his army in Ujjain, and advanced himself two kos from Ujjain with a numerous force to meet the royal troops. 'Adil Shah appointed Nizam Khan Sur and Fath Khan Sarwani to oppose him. They attacked him with their brave Afghans. At first, the Raja's valour had such an effect that some of the best Afghans obtained martyrdom, and the Sultan's army were on the point of running away. 'Adil Shah possessed two elephants, in whose powers of travelling he had great confidence, and two fleet steeds, and he determined to fly to Chunar with all the royal jewels in the event of the defeat of Nizam Khan and Fath Khan. Nizam Khan and Fath Khan had likewise resolved to leave the field, as they had lost many men by the hands of the infidels, and could not hope to do anything with the few who remained.
8.3.3
Whilst they were thus despairing of their success, it happened by the blessing of God, that one of the zamburaks or swivels of the royal army was discharged. It struck the Raja of Andardun, who was standing in front of his army, on the head; his skull was knocked to pieces, and his brains scattered like the fragments of a cheese. When the Raja's men saw this, they all took to flight. Nizam Khan, seeing that the infidels had suddenly dispersed, believed that some unforeseen event had occurred, and made a slight attack on them with his remaining troops. The infidels fled before them, and on advancing they found the Rája of Andardun lying in the midst of dust and blood. They returned thanks to God, and sent news of the victory to 'Adil Sháh, and counselled him to come speedily to Ujjain. His Majesty was astonished at the mysterious dispensations of Providence, and pursued the fugitives until he reached Ujjain. The Rája's men resisted during three hours, but at last gave way; his wives and children were taken prisoners, and such spoil of horses, camels, elephants, gold, jewels, property, and clothes was obtained, that the soldiers had wherewithal to support themselves for years.
8.3.4
After this victory, 'Adil Sháh passed some time in Málwa, and Ibráhím Khán at this time availed himself of the opportunity thus afforded, and extended his authority. Having collected much money from the different parganas of the provinces, he despatched his emissaries in all directions, and gained the whole country from Dehli to Rohtas. When 'Adil Sháh arrived from Málwa, and heard of the power and success of Ibráhím Khán, he was distressed. He felt satisfied that it would be necessary to proceed against him in person, and ordered the necessary preparations to be made for that purpose. At this time, Mansúr Khán, who was a young man of great courage, and had married the King's younger sister, excited 'Adil Sháh's suspicions. He was anxious to hinder him from revolting like Ibráhím Khán, and, therefore, determined either to blind him with a red-hot bodkin or slay him. His wife was by some means or other informed of this, and told her husband that "she had learnt in various places that 'Adil Sháh was desirous of either putting him to death or blinding him, and that if he wished to save his life he had better fly." Mansúr Khán had suspected this from the first. His wife said, "You have 4000 horse, who are your ancient servants: and I have much gold and property in jewels; let us sell it, and obtain adherents.
8.3.5
As Ibrahim Khan forsook this place, and obtained such extensive authority by his courage, do you also, in like manner, not only avoid the chance of destruction, but increase your possessions." Mansur Khan listened to the wife's advice, which was given in the spirit of a man; and one day, under the pretext of hunting, when informed by his spies that 'Adil Shah was in his cups, left Gwalior (having previously sent off his troops and baggage), and arrived at Dehli, where he had an interview with Ibrahim, who entertained him hospitably for two or three days, after which he requested Ibrahim to give him charge of the Panjab, and merit his gratitude by doing so, since it had pleased the Most High to make Ibrahim a man high in authority, and the possessor of an extensive territory. Ibrahim's youthful, overbearing pride led him to be displeased at this. Next day, Mansur Khan sent his mother and wife to the wife of Ibrahim Khan, and told them to entreat her to persuade Ibrahim Khan to entrust the Panjab to him. His wife and mother went there, and said to her sister (the wife of Ibrahim), "You are like a mother to us. God has exalted you, and given you great possessions; and if through your means the land of the Panjab be given by your husband to mine, I shall consider myself your slave, and my husband will become one of your servants." The elder sister consented, and sent them away with a present of gold and jewels. At bedtime that evening she related what had happened to her husband.
8.3.6
Ibrahim Khan's pride again caused him to refuse to listen to the request, and she, being vexed, arose and left him. In the morning the wife told her sister of the denial she had met with. Mansur was enraged at this, and determined to have one trial of arms with Ibrahim Khan. He deliberated with his trusty Afghans, and said, "What is the good of this life to me? If the Most High grants me success, my situation will be bettered; at all events, it will be better to die than remain in this wretched condition."
8.3.7
As God had decreed that Mansur Khan should be victorious, all the nobles and Afghans of note joined him, and agreed with him in everything, so that he mustered 8000 horsemen. Ibrahim, however, commanded 30,000. Mansur Khan made ready for war, and sent to Ibrahim to say, "Great friendship existed between us; but you have forsaken the path of affection, and it is unworthy of a man to be led away by pride, and forget the rules of courtesy. Let what will happen, I will come and essay one trial in arms against you." Ibrahim laughed at this message, and said, "Why do you seek death beneath the feet of my elephants?" At last, on Friday, the 7th of Sha'ban, a severe action was fought. It pleased the Almighty to overshadow the banners of Mansur Khan, and Ibrahim, being routed, fled to Sambhal, in spite of his 30,000 cavalry and many elephants. His troops deserted him, and came and pledged their allegiance to Mansur Khan, who, after the victory, prostrated himself in thanksgiving on the field. He collected the army, the elephants, horses, treasures, and household property, etc., and came speedily to Dehli, where he took possession of the throne, and issued orders for the reading of the khutba and coining of money in his own name. Ibrahim's overweening pride caused him to lose all his possessions, and he fled towards the East.
8.3.8
Mansur Khan assumed the title of Sikandar, and from that day [962 A.H. (1554 A.D.)] his prosperity increased. 'Adil Shah ruled the country from Jaunpur to Malwa. He endeavoured to wrest his conquests from Sikandar, but did not succeed. Sikandar agreed to own him as his liege lord, and wrote to him, saying, "I am a friend of yours, and will behave like one of the other nobles. You are my King." In effect, he always treated 'Ádil Sháh with great consideration. At this time, three different khutbas were read in the empire of Hindústán, and money was coined in the names of three monarchs, when before there had been only one khutba and one person's name on the money. The country from Agra to Málwá, and the confines of Jaunpúr, owned the sovereignty of 'Ádil Sháh; from Dehlí to the smaller Rohtás on the road to Kábul, it was in the hands of Sháh Sikandar; and from the borders of the hills to the boundaries of Gujarát, it belonged to Ibráhím Khán.
8.3.9
When Humáyún Sháh received intelligence of the feeble rule of 'Ádil Sháh, the dissensions of the nobles, and the partition of the territories of Hind, he felt persuaded that the discordance which then existed amongst the Afgháns would enable him to take easy possession of Hindústán, and he therefore made up his mind to invade it. But his differences with his brothers, Mírzá Kámrán, 'Askarí, and others, who had wrested many of his territories from him, together with the small number and unprepared state of his troops, opposed great obstacles. He wished to go to Mariam Makání, and seek succour and assistance from her. On a prosperous day, he sent Khwája Mu'azzam and Bairám Khán to fetch Mariam Makání and Prince Akbar, who went with expedition and brought them. As the winds were exceedingly hot, Akbar Mírzá spent that time on the borders of Mahain. From thence King Humáyún set off with 200 men, Bairám Khán, Khwája Mu'azzam, Bábá-dost Bakhshí, Khwája Ghází, Muhammad Haidar Akhtabegí, Mírzá Kulí Beg and his brothers, Shaikh Yusuf, Ibrahim the Lame, and Hasan Kuli, all nobles of note. [The history of Humayun, which follows in the MS., is copied verbatim from the Tabakat-i Akbari, as hereafter given among the Extracts from that work. The following account of the battle of Sirhind is the only passage in which Ahmad Yadgar differs from the Tabakat.]